Scientist — Microbial Upstream

CPI helps make great ideas and inventions a reality. We’re a team of intelligent people using advances in science and technology to solve the biggest global challenges in healthcare and sustainability.

Through our incredible people and innovation infrastructure, we collaborate with our partners in industry, academia, government, and the investment community to accelerate the development and commercialisation of innovative products.

From health technologies and pharmaceuticals to sustainable food and materials innovations, we turn the entrepreneurial spirit and radical thinking of our people and partners into incredible impact that makes our world a better place.

CPI has an exciting opportunity for a Microbial Upstream Scientist to join the established and growing Microbial Upstream team, based at the National Biologics Manufacturing Centre in Darlington. The Microbial Upstream Scientist will work under technical supervision of their line manager and senior colleagues, supporting with a range of activities to meet technology team objectives.

The team plays a key role in delivering a wide range of exciting biotherapeutic projects which encompass strain development, process design, optimisation and scale-up of upstream processes from bench to pilot scale.

The Microbial Upstream department is an established team of scientists working to develop and scale up microbial bioprocesses, which includes activities from strain selection through to process demonstration at 100L scale. The Microbial Upstream Scientist will contribute to the development of these processes for the production of biotherapeutics using a range of systems including lab and pilot scale bioreactors as well as high-throughput bioreactor systems.

Responsibilities and expertise specific to the role:

• Theoretical and practical knowledge of Molecular Biology, Biologics expression, Bioreactor scale up, high-throughput screening and relevant analytical techniques.
• Support delivery of experimentation around the production of therapeutic biologics focussed on the design, development and scale-down/scale-up of upstream processes.
• Expertise and practical understanding of microbial strain construction, selection, and characterisation.
• Use and application of computer systems and software for data acquisition and analysis.
• Document writing, data interpretation, presentation and statistical analysis.
• To assist the scale up of upstream processes (up to pilot scale) to provide proof of successful process development/​optimisation.
• Develop and maintain knowledge of new practices and procedures from relevant literature and other sources.
• Knowledge of bioprocessing industry and cGMP concepts.

Some exciting projects that the team have recently worked on are:

Novel VLP polio vaccine platform development: Developing a new virus-like particle polio vaccine

Cell Free Expression: Developing a cell free expression system

The Role

Key responsibilities in the Scientist – Microbial Upstream role will include (but are not limited to the below), please download the job description for full details available on the CPI careers page:

• To keep self up to date with developments in areas relevant to role, and/​or legislative and SHE related changes as communicated by senior colleagues, ensuring understanding of these and any associated new best practice, methods or techniques.
• To present and formally report experimental conclusions and supporting data for internal peer review and submission to clients, to agreed timescales and standards.
• To actively engage in hazard studies / SRA studies and discussions, as appropriate to role level.
• To set up, plan and execute experimental / pilot scale runs and analyse, interpret and report the results of these within agreed timescales and quality standards, and in accordance with project / client requirements.
• To be responsible for providing clearly documented records of technical data, decisions, methodologies, calculations and software use in an agreed format.
• To take ownership in agreeing weekly workplans with line manager, project manager(s) and other relevant stakeholders, and delivering plan to agreed schedule.
• To be responsible for the maintenance and calibration of equipment to ensure it operates in a safe and efficient manner and is available to meet customer needs.
• To take responsibility for general housekeeping of technical areas, to contribute to a safe and healthy workplace.

Successful candidates will be educated to a minimum of HNC, Foundation Degree or Degree level (or equivalent) in a Scientific / Engineering discipline plus relevant industrial experience and;

• Possess foundation of technical knowledge and some underpinning knowledge in upstream microbial processing, as well as evidence of technical problem solving gained in academic or industrial environments.
• Have practical experience in one or more of the following areas: Microbial culture, Bioreactor/​fermenter operation, Microbiology and/​or aseptic techniques and Molecular biology.
• Have experience of planning and delivering technical work.
• Have experience of data analysis & reporting findings (documentation and/​or presentations).
• Can demonstrate evidence of knowledge sharing and network building practice across teams or groups.

It would also be a strong advantage if candidates had;

• Practical cloning experience from strain construction, selection and characterisation.
• Demonstrate familiarity with the use of design of experiment methodologies to inform experimental design.
• Familiarity with use of support equipment such as autoclaves, incubators, centrifuges, bioanalysers and other analytical equipment.
• An understanding of GMP & the requirements for the production of biopharmaceuticals.
• Experience or an understanding of the process for tech transfer from R&D to GMP manufacturing.

At CPI, we offer a wide range of benefits to our employees, this includes:

• Up to 36 days holiday, including bank holidays – Plus a holiday purchasing scheme
• Generous pension scheme
• Life assurance and accident insurance schemes
• Flexible working
• Learning and Development Opportunities
• Free parking

Find out more about our culture and benefits.

CPI is an organisation based in the UK. Commencement of employment is conditional to demonstrating right to work in the UK, sponsorship may be available.